Interviews with Minnie Rittenhouse Diers, Lois Miles Devoe and J. Elmer Brock
By Evory Lund Hanson, June 1950
Where in Wyoming could one find a more historically rich and typical western spot than the little town of Kaycee on the Middle Fork of Powder River in the heart of the stock raising area of Johnson County? It is brim-full of interesting historical data, having come into existence at the most colorful period in western history. It is well that we pause and take stock of this immediate past and preserve the early memories of the town while we may yet learn the facts. In our reminiscing, we go back to the time when John Nolan homesteaded here on the Powder River.
The Nolan Ranch buildings were built approximately where the old mill was located. This mill has been torn down but the remains are located west of the Dorsey Chabo property. John Nolan's brand was KC. During the Cattleman's Invasion of 1892, the Nolan Ranch was the scene of one of the most cowardly and brutal murders in the history of the west. On April 10, 1892, the "Cattleman" burned Nolan's ranch house and murdered Nate Champion and Nick Ray who were leasing the ranch from Nolan. This was part of their plot to scare the small ranchers into leaving Wyoming to the sole use of the large outfits so they could let their herds of cattle have miles and miles of unfenced grazing land. To this day this lawlessness has gone by without due punishment.
In 1896, Jim and Jesse Potts decided to build blacksmith shop at the crossroads where the road from Buffalo and Midwest crossed the Powder River. It was only a short distance east of the burned Nolan building. This point was ideal for a business location. Besides being on the main road, they would also have the trade from up and down the river. It was right on the road to the Hole-in-the-Wall country. Logs were brought down from the pine ridge, but before they could commence work on the blacksmith, George Peterson talked them into selling him the logs. He then (in 1897) built the first building, a saloon, in what was to be the city of Kaycee. He located it on the spot where the post office later stood - the building south of the Grange Hall. In approximately 1928, this building burned down.
The blacksmith shop was eventually built on the river bank behind the Grange Hall. The Potts brothers sold it and it is possible it changed hands twice before O. A. Parker became owner of it. He moved his business down where the hotel and cafe now stand - on the east side of Main Street.
From all records, the City Hall (present Library) is the oldest building in town. Although it was erected on what is a part of the present townsite, it was built about a quarter of a mile west of town and moved to its present location. The walls were made of hand-hewn logs almost two feet thick. It was built by George Kaltenbach as his homestead house, and was used as a residence for quite a few years before the city acquired it for their use of voting, council meetings, etc. An unusual bit of fact about this building is that it has an escape hatch and tunnel leading out to an adjacent draw. It is a grim reminder of the lawlessness of the west and evidence of a quick exit in case of undesirable company at the front door.
The oldest residence built in town was the Gordon Ellis house. It is the little log cabin located back of the Red Horse Station. For several years it has been known as the "Goat House" since Chet Halls once housed goats in it. Since then this house has been renovated, and is now used as living quarters. Mr. Gordon Ellis, who was a brother of Mrs. Burt Devoe, died about 10 years ago.
About this time, the first store was established. According to J. Elmer Brock, "On September 7, 1897, the Powder River Commercial Company was incorporated. It had a capitalization of $20,000 and was under the management of five trustees. They were: R. E. Hasbrouck, Buffalo, Wyoming: Fred Hasbrouck Buffalo, Wyoming: James Rinker, Mayoworth, Wyoming: A. L. Mayoworth, Wyoming: and George Kaltenbach, Griggs, Wyoming."
"John and Effie Nolan deeded a tract of land four hundred twenty feet by two hundred ten feet to the Powder River Commercial Company on October 4, 1897. In 1910, this land was deeded to Charles H. King." This building was later owned by George Peterson, S. K. Gibson, James A. Sellar, and at the present time is the local Grange Hall.
After the store was going concern, the need for a post office. Previously, the mail was routed from Buffalo to Mayoworth, down Kaltenbach draw to Griggs post office, which was located west of Kaycee on what is now the Art Haines ranch. It is said they wanted to name the post office "KC," the brand of the Nolan ranch, but the government regulations compelled them to spell it out as a name "K-a-y-c-e-e." The first postmaster was Andy Kennedy.
The city of Kaycee was incorporated in 1906. Since it was such a small community, the boundary was extended to a radius of twenty miles inorder to get enough signers for the petition. According to law, a population of one hundred fifty people was required. Judd Ritter was the first mayor of Kaycee. An interesting fact in history of the city dates back to the time when the Powder River State Bank closed its doors. All the city records, charter and all, were lost or destroyed. The city officials replaced all these vital records before anyone knew they were missing.
The first church was organized in February 1918, under the jurisdiction of the Methodist Church. Prior to 1918, the only religious messengers the community had were circuit riders and cowboy preachers. Some of the charter members were Mr. and Mrs. Charles Diers, Mrs. Bailey, Mrs. C. C. Campbell, Mrs. Ira Buell, Mrs. Virginia Campbell, and Mrs. C. H. Cash.
Kaycee today is a town of about two hundred forty in population. In addition to livestock raising and farming, great interest is centered around the oil fields, which are expanding daily. The bentonite and uranium deposits are also vital importance. Hunting has become important in the Kaycee area and helps us to make us the biggest little town in Johnson County. We are so historically rich that no matter how the city becomes, the old landmarks cannot be destroyed.
